


spiritassassin week 2017

by cassandor



Category: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Canon Compliant, Fluff, M/M, Pre-Canon, Tumblr Prompt, the holy temple
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-04
Updated: 2017-06-04
Packaged: 2018-11-09 01:20:47
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 2,169
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11093925
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cassandor/pseuds/cassandor
Summary: all my fics for @fyeahspiritassassin's shipweek on tumblr. each chapter is its own thing.





	1. at first sight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> April 24: First impressions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Most people like to think that Chirrut lost his vision after he met Baze but here he was born blind…

“You don’t pity me.”

Baze’s head snaps up at the sound of the other boy’s voice. The other boy - Chirrut - is facing his direction, a ghost of a smile on his face. “Sorry?” he asks, voice cracking from lack of use. 

“You don’t pity me,” Chirrut repeats. “I can feel it.” 

“Why would I pity you? You’re a great warrior, from what I’ve seen,” Baze replies, remembering his first glimpse of the boy - staff whirling as he took out his opponents on the training ground. “I should be in awe of you.”

“You’re not in awe of me either,” Chirrut says with a tilt of his head. “Interesting.” 

Which was true. Baze was intrigued by the boy as, well, children are intrigued by others around their age. A spark of interest. 

“Pity brought me here. Awe kept me here,” Chirrut continues. 

Baze shakes his head ever so slightly. “You could leave if you wanted to.” 

Chirrut laughs and it echos melodiously off the ancient walls of the temple, ringing like the bells in the early morning. 

“I could.” 

“But you choose to stay,” Baze begins, slowly. “Why?” 

“Why do you stay?” 

There’s a moment of silence. A heartbeat. Two. 

“You want to leave.” Chirrut’s smile falters ever so slightly. 

Baze studies him, the way his back is poised with grace - ramrod straight with a hint of defiance, the way his robes swirl around his feet, the way his gaze is unseeing but _seeing._

“Not anymore.” 


	2. the little things

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> April 25: Alternative universe/timeline

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The other day I heard about this couple that were celebrating their 70th wedding anniversary and they were offering Life Advice. I flip flopped between making this a modern AU or a everyone lives/post Scarif AU and I honestly don’t know which one this is but enjoy! (ft. roguejedi)

“How long have you guys been together?” The question tumbles out of Luke’s mouth in the way such questions do: it was something that had been nagging him for a long time, but there was never the _right_ opportunity to ask. 

Apparently, Luke thought this was the right time. He was right: he and Bodhi were effectively sprawled across the couch, Bodhi looking relaxed in what appeared to be the most uncomfortable position ever, and Luke resting on his side. 

“You could’ve asked _me_  that,” Bodhi says, hand idly running through Luke’s hair. 

“Really?” Luke turns in his seat to look at Bodhi, then at the smiling Guardians, then back at Bodhi. “How would you know?” 

Bodhi’s eyes drift over to Chirrut, who smiles. “The Guardians’ lives… we didn’t know much about them. But something as important as a marriage… _that’s_  hard to keep quiet.” 

“Ah, right. So how long was it?” 

“Before I was born,” Bodhi says with a smile. 

Luke’s jaw drops. “ _That_  long?” Bodhi punches him lightly as Baze chuckles. 

“I’m not _that_  old.” 

“Thirty-three years,” Chirrut says with a smile. “If you’re counting from our legal union.” 

Baze huffs. “You make it sound like we got a fancy certificate, Chirrut.” 

Chirrut dismissively waves his hand. 

Luke’s still looking at them in awe. “ _That_  long? Man, I don’t know many people who _lived_  much longer, much less were in relationships that long. Wow… How….?” 

“I ask myself that every day,” Baze says. Chirrut lightly punches his shoulder. “I’m kidding. I mean, the… I… I guess I followed Chirrut wherever he went and he kind of adopted me like a stray,” Baze chuckles. 

Bodhi grins. “It always looked like _you_  were trying to keep _him_  out of trouble.” 

“Me? Trouble?” Chirrut says incredulously, a grin blossoming across his face. 

“But seriously,” Luke interjects, “How? Do you have like, any advice for u-I-uh just any advice?” The colour rises in his cheeks. Baze pretends not to notice. 

“He infuriates me most of the time,” Baze starts, “but I like him too much to let that get to me.” 

“Not silently, though,” Chirrut says wisely. “I don’t hear the end of it.” 

“Communication,” Baze nods. “That’s where it all is.” 

“Huh,” Luke says, lost in thought. 

“Sure, the little things can get annoying. Like how Baze refuses to trust in the Force-”

“That’s a _little_  thing?” 

Chirrut shrugs. “Like I was about to say. Don’t blow things out of proportion. The only little things you should be caring about, are the good ones.” 

“Moments like these,” Baze’s voice softens. “They’re hard to come by.” Chirrut nods. 

“You’ll appreciate them later on. When you don’t have the chance.” 

Luke’s eyes flicker over to Bodhi, the losses of their families still fresh in their minds. 

“That makes sense,” Luke says, solemn. “We-I’ll keep that in mind.” 


	3. this crude matter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> April 26: hurt/comfort and April 27: Bodyswap/role reversal

Baze wakes up with a start, his head foggy with the remains of a deep sleep. The temple’s cots, despite their small size and stiff nature, were cozy and so he took his time in waking up. 

He doesn’t realize anything is wrong until he rubs his eyes. 

He can’t see.

He blinks rapidly, assuming they were bleary from sleep. No change.

Panic rises in his chest. “Chirrut?” he calls. The other boy was always within earshot. “Chirrut?” He clears his throat, tries again. He sits up in bed, still rubbing at his eyes. “Chirrut?”

He can hear the rustling of covers.

“Baze?”

Baze stills, hands still mid-rub. It sounded like his own voice.

“Chi-“

“Baze! I can see! I ca-“ There’s a loud thud, similar to the sound one makes when they misjudge the number of stairs and step too hard at the bottom.

“Chirrut?” Baze’s voice squeaks with panic. Everything felt wrong, so wrong. The blankets felt too light, he felt too small – and, of course, he couldn’t see Chirrut.

“I’m here,” Chirrut murmurs, ad Baze realizes how close he is. He feels warm – Chirrut is cupping his face. “Force above,” he whispers.

“What?” Baze’s heart pounds in his chest, and he can feel the sweat beading on his forehead. _I can’t see. What happened?_

“I didn’t know I looked like this.”

“What?” Baze reaches out in Chirrut’s general direction. “What is going on?”

“The Force has willed us something interesting,” Chirrut says. “We’ve switched bodies.”

“ _What_?”

“Trust me, I can see. I’m looking at myself right now.”

Baze’s eyebrows - _Chirrut’s_ eyebrows – furrow in confusion. “Wait. I’m in _your_ body?”

There’s a moment of silence. (Chirrut nods out of habit). “Yes.” Chirrut’s hand is on his, and he carefully lifts it to his own – _Baze’s_ – face. Baze reaches out gently and gasps.

“That’s _my_ face you’re wearing.”

Chirrut’s grip on Baze tightens. “Shame there’s no mirror in this room, I have no idea what you look like.”

Baze’s stomach flips. Of course, deep down he knew that Chirrut wouldn’t care about what he looked like. But… there was a part of him that thought of the way children looked at him warily, how people were quick to overestimate his age.

“Baze…” Chirrut says, softer this time.

Baze grunts, and it sounds odd in Chirrut’s voice. He adjusts himself so he’s sitting fully upright. “You know,” Baze says, “I have no idea how you manage this.”

Chirrut’s arm curls around Baze for support. “I know,” he says softly. “But don’t worry. I’m here.”  

* * *

Chirrut carefully helps him get up, never leaving his side as they walk to the communal bathrooms. They shuffle along slowly, and Baze isn’t sure if it’s because of his own unsteadiness, or if it’s because Chirrut stops to stare every few steps.

“Oh, I didn’t realize the windows looked like _that._ No wonder our usual spot is so warm, it’s in direct sunlight. Oh, look. Is that Master Rybek? I knew he always had an unpleasant feeling about him, but that face is just ridiculous. Does he always glare like that?”

Baze grunts in agreement.

“Baze, cheer up. You’re not missing much. Trust me, I know.” Baze knew this to be true. Still, the fact he couldn’t _look_ at Chirrut to know he was grinning was unnerving. And this body didn’t suit him at all. He felt too short, too lanky.

“We’re getting a lot of second glances. Do you think I have a weird expression on my face? I feel like I do. I feel like I’m staring at everyone. Maybe it’s you. You really need to stop hunching over, you’re going to ruin my back. Use the Force to feel your way around.” Chirrut’s tone is teasing, but Baze can feel his arm steady on his back, ready to steer him in the right direction. “Or at least, use my staff properly.”

Baze can feel Chirrut pressing his staff into his hands. He grips it tightly, feeling the weight in his grip.

“I’d rather have a blaster.”

Chirrut chuckles.

* * *

The cool water eases some of Baze’s trepidation. Now his concerns turn towards finding the source of the problem. How had they switched bodies? Baze suspected it had something to do with the mythical fruit they had not-so-subtly taken from the Temple’s gardens. He voices his thoughts to Chirrut.

“Do you think if we get some more, we can go back to normal?”

Chirrut hums. “We can try.”

Only then does Baze realize what he’s asking of Chirrut. He had already spent 17 years of his life in the darkness, and to have his sight restored only to take it away… Baze couldn’t ask him to do that. He couldn’t. As much as he wanted to be able to see again…

“Baze,” Chirrut says softly. “It’s okay.”

“But…”

“I’ve gotten used to this life,” Chirrut explains. “Today was nice, but… I can’t be selfish. I can’t ask you to stay like this. It isn’t fair.”

“Chirrut, you know I would gladly-“

Chirrut presses a finger to his lips. “I know. But I’d feel guilty. And I don’t want to. Who even wants to see Master Rybek’s face every day, anyways?” He laughs.

“Are you sure? There’s only one other fruit left on that tree, and it bears fruit every century – you won’t be able to…”

Chirrut’s arms are on Baze’s shoulders now. “I know. But you’re more important than my vision.” He pauses. “And I want my voice back. Yours is too gruff for cracking jokes.”

Baze can’t help but laugh. 

“Okay.” 


	4. com(passion)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> April 29: Soulmate/soulbond

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (shoutout to matthew stover for improving my life significantly, if you haven’t read the ROTS novelization you should)

\- the force unites all living things, you see. it surrounds us, it binds the galaxy together. it binds me to you, and you to me, and us to the rest of the universe. 

\- is it an energy field of some kind? 

there is a pause.

\- some say it is. most say it is.

there is some discomfort. the shifting of robes, a clearing of the throat.

\- what do _you_  think it is? 

a broad smile. 

\- what is timeless? what is ageless? what is everywhere, in every thing? what has no beginning nor end? what cannot be created, and cannot be destroyed - only transformed? 

a classic question that has echoed through temples for millenia.

\- energy, right?

laughter bounces off the stone walls. 

\- you’re supposed to say the _Force_ , Baze. 

he grumbles:

\- but what do _you_ think?

_tap, tap_. Chirrut’s staff beats against the ground, like a drum, like a heartbeat.

\- I think it’s love. love can reignite the stars. 

one face grows warm, the other grins. 

\- romantic love? 

\- compassion.

an abrupt cough masks disappointment. Chirrut’s smile doesn’t waver. 

\- compassion. it binds me to you and you to me. it binds us to the stray dogs begging outside the temple, to the lost children crying for their mothers. compassion is what unites every soul. it has different forms. familial love, platonic love, romantic love… 

_love, love, love_. Chirrut’s staff echoes his words.  _tap, tap tap._  

\- but which of those binds _us_  together, Chirrut? 

the smile and the blush switch. 


	5. balance.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> April 30: Celebrations

“The Force is strong here,” Chirrut says.  


“Because of the boy?” Baze’s eyes shift to the edge of the gathering.

“He shines brightly,” Chirrut inclines his head, “Brighter than anyone I’ve ever seen.” He pauses. “But it’s not just him.”   


Baze looks at Chirrut, the flickering light of the torches dancing across his features. His smile glints in the dim light. 

“Is it because the Sith are dead?”   


“The shroud of darkness has lifted,” Chirrut says, “Balance has been restored. But it’s not just that.”   


Baze lifts the cup to his lips, silent, waiting for Chirrut to finish his explanation. 

“There is much happiness here. Every soul is brimming with the light side of the Force, sparkling with its energy. Can you feel it?”  


Baze grunts. He hadn’t said anything about what had happened on Scarif after he thought Chirrut had died, but the other Guardian had sensed the change anyways. 

“All I feel is the warmth of the bonfire, and some irritation at you.”  


Chirrut sniffs. “So be it. But it swirls around all of us, even you, Baze.”

“I’m just happy Jedha has been avenged.”   


Chirrut doesn’t turn to face him, but instead extends his arm and lightly touches Baze’s shoulder. “What next? Revenge was your driving _force_  for all these years. Now what?” He grins broadly when he says the word force. 

Baze sniffs. “If you hadn’t made that pun I would’ve said something sappy.”

“What?”   


“Where you go, I go.”   


“Even if I decide to help the boy learn the ways of the Force?”  


Baze sighs. “Yes.” 

“Even if-”   


“The answer will always be yes.” 

Chirrut squeezes his arm. “Thank you.” 


End file.
